A Phase 1/2 interventional study of Imiquimod 5% cream and Nivolumab in Vulvar Squamous Cell Carcinoma, sponsored by Centre Leon Berard. Not yet recruiting at 11 sites in France. Open to female participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-30.
Sponsored by Centre Leon Berard · Phase 1/2, Interventional, and Treatment
COLOMBE is a multicenter, single arm, phase 1/2 trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of imiquimod cream with IV low dose nivolumab in primary resectable vulvar squamous cell carcinoma patients prior to surgery, leveraging the preoperative "window of opportunity" period, an unavoidable interval due to surgical scheduling.
Centre Leon Berard is the lead sponsor of 206 studies on the registry; 61 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
I1. Female patient ≥ 18 years of age on day of signing informed consent.
I2. Histologically confirmed primary VSCC, with all of the following characteristics:
I3. Availability of a representative formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sample of the primary tumor tissue (biopsy) with an associated pathology report. This tumor sample must meet the following quality/quantity control criteria: ≥30 % of tumor cells and a tumor surface area ≥ 5mm2
I4. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status (PS) ≤ 2
I5. Patients with adequate organ function:
I6. Women of child-bearing potential (WOCBP) must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 7 days prior to C1D1 and must agree to use effective forms of contraception from the time of the negative pregnancy test up to 5 months after the last dose of nivolumab.
I7. Patient should understand, sign, and date the written voluntary informed consent form at the screening visit prior to any protocol-specific procedures performed. Patient should be able and willing to comply with study visits and procedures as per protocol.
I8. Patients must be covered by a medical insurance.
Exclusion Criteria:
E1. Patients participating in another clinical trial with therapeutic intent.
E2. Patients previously treated with any anti-cancer treatment including anti-PD-1, anti-PDL1, or anti PD L2 agent or with an agent directed to another stimulatory or co-inhibitory T cell receptor (e.g., CTLA-4, OX 40, CD37).
E3. Patients not respecting the minimal washout period or receiving or anticipation of need during the study of the following medications/procedure:
E4. Patients with known additional malignancy that is progressing or has required active treatment within the past 3 years.
Note: Participants with basal cell carcinoma of the skin, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin on a location other than the vulva, or carcinoma in situ (e.g. of the breast, cervix or bladder) that have undergone potentially curative therapy are not excluded.
E5. Known allergy or hypersensitivity to any of the study drugs or any of the study drug excipients.
E6. Patients with evidence of significant uncontrolled infection or concomitant disease, or psychiatric illness/social situations that could affect compliance with the protocol or interpretation of results.
E7. Patients with prior organ or bone marrow transplant.
E8. Patients with known active hepatitis B, C, or HIV infection or any active infection requiring systemic therapy.
E9. Patients with known or suspected active autoimmune disease. Note: Patients with skin disorders (such as vitiligo, psoriasis or alopecia), type I diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism only requiring hormone replacement or conditions not expected to recur in the absence of an external trigger are eligible.
E10. Pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Patients must have histologically confirmed diagnosis of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC).
Drug: Imiquimod 5% cream · Drug: Nivolumab
At the starting dose (DL1) : 5 consecutive days per week for 4 weeks At DL-1: 3 consecutive days per week for 4 weeks
At DL1 and DL-1: Administration IV at a dose of 40 mg, every two weeks for 6 weeks (3 doses)
Phase I Safety run-in: Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) related to imiquimod and/or nivolumab, occurring during the induction period (first 6 weeks of treatment)
Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) defined as any adverse event (AE) related to imiquimod and/or nivolumab, occurring during the induction period (first 6 weeks of treatment, i.e., DLT period) and graded according to the NCI-CTCAE V6.0 classification: * Grade 4 non-laboratory AE including skin toxicity; * Grade 3 non-laboratory AE lasting \>14 days despite optimal supportive care with the following exceptions: Influenza-like symptoms and application site reaction related to imiquimod * Any grade 3 or grade 4 laboratory value with clinical symptoms requiring medical intervention or hospitalization, and persisting for more than 14 days; * Any imiquimod site application AE or nivolumab related AE postponing the surgery of at least 14 days * Any other AE evaluated as clinically significant by investigator and sponsor, for instance delaying the nivolumab administration for more than 14 days * Any toxic death, grade 5 AE
Time frame: From Cycle 1 Day 1 to week 6
Phase II: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of imiquimod and nivolumab combination in adult patients with resectable primary VSCC
Clinical ORR (objective response rate) as per RECIST 1.1 category documented by calipers using standardized digital photography with reference ruler at the time of surgery
Time frame: From Cycle 1 Day 1 to surgery (up to 3 cycles - each cycle is 14 days)
Evaluation of the Pathological Response
The pathological tumor response (pTR) is defined as the presence of tumor cell necrosis and keratinous debris with giant cell/histiocytic reaction, quantified as a percentage of the overall tumor bed (area pathologic response/area pathologic response plus viable tumor): pTR-0 (\<10%), pTR-1 (10%-49%), pTR-2 (≥50%), pTR-3 (100%, complete response). The pTR will be quantified in increments of 10%.
Time frame: At time of surgery
Rate of positive margin
Rate of patients with positive margin defined as \<8mm
Time frame: At time of surgery
Rate of positive Sentinel Lymph Node
Rate of patients with positive Sentinel Lymph Node (SLN)
Time frame: Through study completion, up to 3 years
Rate of patients undergoing RT
Rate of patients undergoing radiotherapy
Time frame: Through study completion, up to 3 years
Evaluation of Overall Survival (OS)
Overall survival defined as the time between treatment initiation (C1D1) and death from any cause. Patients still alive at the time of analysis will be censored at the date of last news they are known to be alive.
Time frame: From Cycle 1 Day 1 to the date of death from any cause (assessed up to 3 years)
Recurrence Free Survival (RFS)
Recurrence Free Survival (RFS): defined as the time from C1D1 to the first documented disease recurrence or death from any cause, whichever occurs first. Patients who are alive and without evidence of recurrence at the time of analysis will be censored at the date of their last disease assessment.
Time frame: From Cycle 1 Day 1 to the date of first documented disease recurrence or death (assessed up to 3 years)
Evaluation of surgical complications
The frequency of surgical complications: * The percentage of wound breakdown (dehiscence) in the vulva defined as larger than one third of the length of excision. * The percentage of wound breakdown (dehiscence) in the groins defined as larger than one third of the length of excision. * The percentage of wound infection in the vulva defined as a clinical infection (e.g. the presence of a purulent exudate and/or a positive culture with the presence of erythema, oedema, and localized pain involving skin and subcutaneous tissue) which requires antibiotic therapy * The percentage of wound infection in the groins defined as a clinical infection (e.g. the presence of a purulent exudate and/or a positive culture with the presence of erythema, oedema, and localized pain involving skin and subcutaneous tissue) which requires antibiotic therapy. * The percentage of patients with lymphocyst formation defined by greater than 4 cm in diameter and confirmed by puncture or ultrasound
Time frame: From surgery to short term safety visit (occuring 30 days after surgery)
To assess the impact of the proposed induction treatment on patient QoL
To assess the impact of the proposed induction treatment on patient QoL with Quality of Life questionnaires: * EORTC QLQ-C30 (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30): scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better functioning/global health status but worse symptoms * EORTC QLQ-VU34 (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire for Vulva Cancer module with 34 questions): scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better functioning/global health status but worse symptoms
Time frame: From enrollment to Short Term Safety Visit (STSV) (assesed up to 30 days following surgery)
To define the tolerability of the proposed therapeutic strategy
Incidence and severity of AE according to NCI CTCAE V6.0
Time frame: Through study completion, up to 3 years
To study the impact of the treatment on the Tumour Microenvironment (TME) immune profile : Changes in CD8 infiltrate
Exploratory analyses in pretreatment tumour biopsies versus surgical specimen will be performed in an effort to understand the impact of the treatment by nivolumab and imiquimod combination on the Tumor Microenvironment (TME) immune profile. Exploratory data will be summarized using descriptive statistics (e.g. N, medians, inter-quartile range, and mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum for continuous variables and frequency counts and percentages for categorical variables). The relationship between TME immune profile and efficacy variables will be assessed using appropriate multivariate models. The exploratory analyses will include the following : changes in CD8 infiltrate
Time frame: Through study completion, up to 3 years
To study the impact of the treatment on the Tumour Microenvironment (TME) immune profile: CD8/FOXP3 ratio
Exploratory analyses in pretreatment tumour biopsies versus surgical specimen will be performed in an effort to understand the impact of the treatment by nivolumab and imiquimod combination on the Tumor Microenvironment (TME) immune profile. Exploratory data will be summarized using descriptive statistics (e.g. N, medians, inter-quartile range, and mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum for continuous variables and frequency counts and percentages for categorical variables). The relationship between TME immune profile and efficacy variables will be assessed using appropriate multivariate models. The exploratory analyses will include the following : CD8/FOXP3 ratio
Time frame: Through study completion, up to 3 years
To study the impact of the treatment on the Tumour Microenvironment (TME) immune profile : T effector memory cells
Exploratory analyses in pretreatment tumour biopsies versus surgical specimen will be performed in an effort to understand the impact of the treatment by nivolumab and imiquimod combination on the Tumor Microenvironment (TME) immune profile. Exploratory data will be summarized using descriptive statistics (e.g. N, medians, inter-quartile range, and mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum for continuous variables and frequency counts and percentages for categorical variables). The relationship between TME immune profile and efficacy variables will be assessed using appropriate multivariate models. The exploratory analyses will include the following : T effector memory cells functional analysis (cytokine production of interferon gamma)
Time frame: Through study completion, up to 3 years
To study the impact of the treatment on the Tumour Microenvironment (TME) immune profile: immune checkpoints expression (PD-1, TIGIT, TIM3, CTLA4, CD39)
Exploratory analyses in pretreatment tumour biopsies versus surgical specimen will be performed in an effort to understand the impact of the treatment by nivolumab and imiquimod combination on the Tumor Microenvironment (TME) immune profile. Exploratory data will be summarized using descriptive statistics (e.g. N, medians, inter-quartile range, and mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum for continuous variables and frequency counts and percentages for categorical variables). The relationship between TME immune profile and efficacy variables will be assessed using appropriate multivariate models. The exploratory analyses will include the following : immune checkpoints expression (PD-1, TIGIT, TIM3, CTLA4, CD39)
Time frame: Through study completion, up to 3 years
To identify biomarkers as predictive factors of efficacy
Exploratory analyses to identify biomarkers as predictive factors of efficacy will be performed. Exploratory data will be summarized using descriptive statistics (e.g. N, medians, inter-quartile range, and mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum for continuous variables and frequency counts and percentages for categorical variables). The relationship between biomarker and efficacy variables will be assessed using appropriate multivariate models. The biomarkers analyzed will include the following : * HPV dependent vs HPV independent VSCC (p16 IHC status) * TP53 mutation * TME immune profile * PD-L1 expression
Time frame: Through study completion, up to 3 years
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Jun 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Centre Leon Berard